Page 68 of King's Reckoning
"West sector secured," another added. "Multiple servers located. Beginning data retrieval."
Rowan moved with Reed through the facility's central corridor, their movements synchronized by months of working together. More than partners now, they'd become extensions of each other in the field, anticipating reactions, covering blind spots automatically.
"Main records room ahead," Reed murmured as they approached heavy security doors. "Reading multiple hostiles inside. Ready?"
Rowan nodded, feeling that familiar spark of connection as their eyes met briefly. Whatever came next, they'd face it together. Would protect what mattered with every skill and resource at their disposal.
The doors exploded inward as breaching charges detonated. Rowan and Reed moved through the smoke in perfect tandem, weapons tracking separate sectors as they cleared the space. But the scene that greeted them made them pause.
Miles Blackwood stood calmly at a central console, surrounded by humming professional-looking equipment. Behind him, multiple screensshowed familiar paperwork—Elena's original research into historical land claims and tribal boundaries.
"Right on schedule," he said pleasantly. "Though I expected you five minutes earlier. Getting predictable, Rowan."
"It's over, Miles." She kept her weapon trained on him as teams secured the rest of the lab. "We're shutting down every attempt to forge counterclaims. Every facility, every research site, every backup location."
"Are you?" His smile held genuine amusement. "Or are you just following the path we've laid out? Responding exactly as predicted to each carefully planned scenario?"
Fresh understanding bloomed as Rowan processed implications. "The other facilities, the network attacks, your escape...they were all tests. Ways to document how we'd react to specific threats."
"Indeed." Blackwood's fingers moved across his console, initiating new processes. "Elena always said you were quick. But you're still missing the larger picture. Why do you think we kept using her original documentation? Her authentication methods?"
"Because you helped create them," Rowan replied. "Knew how to exploit the loopholes in property law that she discovered."
"No." Blackwood's smile widened. "Because we needed to verify something she theorized yearsago. Something about how specific historical claims could interface directly with tribal sovereignty protections. About how certain combinations of treaties could bypass any corporate land grab."
Ice slid down Rowan's spine as pieces clicked into place. "You've been studying me. My responses, my capabilities, my ability to access my mom's historical documentation naturally."
"The perfect opponent," Blackwood agreed. "Proof that Elena's theories about indigenous land rights were correct. That certain historical claims could be upheld without legal assistance."
"Target archives located," Barbara's voice cut through their comms. "Beginning data transfer of all forged documents."
"I wouldn't do that," Blackwood said mildly. His fingers danced across keys, implementing new commands. "Might disrupt some rather delicate documentation currently in progress."
Warning alerts flashed across Rowan's tablet as security signatures throughout the facility began shifting. The document processing equipment hummed at new frequencies, creating interference patterns in their secure communications.
"What are you doing?" she demanded, fighting sudden signal loss.
"Completing the test sequence," Blackwood replied. "Documenting exactly how your mother's historical claims respond to specific legal challenges. The data we've gathered from yourprevious operations was fascinating, but this..." He gestured to scrolling documents on his screens. "This is conclusive proof of what Elena theorized. What she spent years working to achieve."
"By experimenting on ancestral lands?" Reed's voice held cold fury. "Using indigenous people as some kind of test subjects for corporate greed?"
"Oh no," Blackwood corrected. "Elena would never have used these protocols herself. She built them as a failsafe, a last resort if the claims ever fell into the wrong hands. A way to completely invalidate any corporate land grab using the very historical documentation she helped uncover."
Understanding hit Rowan like a physical blow as the communications interference increased. "The override clause," she managed. "She designed it to work through direct lineage documentation. Through me."
"Exactly." Blackwood's smile held triumph now. "And you've just proven it works exactly as intended. Your mother's documentation is already disrupting our forgery systems, invalidating the counterclaims at a fundamental level."
Fresh alarms blared as equipment began failing throughout the facility. Rowan felt the legal interference intensify, creating feedback loops between her lineage documentation and the facility's forgery systems.
"Rowan!" Reed moved to support her as her knees buckled from the realization of what was happening. "What's wrong?"
"The final test phase," Blackwood replied calmly, even as his carefully built systems crashed around him. "Proving that specific historical documentation can permanently invalidate corporate land grabs through direct lineage claims. Rather elegant design, really. Elena would be proud."
"Shut it down," Reed ordered, his weapon never wavering from Blackwood's head. "Now."
"I'm afraid I can't do that. The sequence is already running. And in approximately thirty seconds, it will render every piece of forged documentation in this facility permanently invalid. Including..." He gestured to Rowan's shaking form. "The enhanced legal standing that makes such interference possible."
Understanding bloomed through Rowan's mind. "You wanted this," she managed. "Wanted proof that my mom's override clause worked. That indigenous land claims could create legal precedents capable of destroying corporate land grabs permanently."
